James Stallons of Macomb, who has spent the last two years as a redshirt on the bench at Wisconsin, is leaving the Big Ten program and plans to transfer, the university has announced.

Sources close to the Grand Valley State football program report the 6-foot-5 former Macomb Dakota star will visit Grand Valley State next week and is expected to sign on as a Laker.

Grand Valley State's staff can't comment until a player has signed. Stallons plans to finish the school year at Wisconsin, and report to Grand Valley State in the fall.

Grand Valley signed four quarterbacks in February, so competition will be fierce after senior-to-be and two-year starter Brad Iciek (Grandville) finishes his career in the fall. His backup, junior-to-be Marquel Neasman, also is awaiting his turn.

Stallons threw for 2,300 yards and 25 touchdowns his senior year at Dakota, and also led his team to a Division 1 state championship. He's 6-foot-5 and 172 pounds, and a drop-back style passer.

As a senior he was ranked No. 32 among quarterbacks in the country by Rivals.com, and No. 77 by ESPN. Scout.com ranked him the No. 21 player overall from Michigan his senior season.

He was on GVSU's radar when he was a senior, but he signed with Wisconsin early after attending the Badgers' football camp.

The recently signed Lakers quarterback prospects include Taylor Copacia of Utica Eisenhower, Isiah Grimes of South Haven, Heath Parling of Plymouth Salem and Kyle Partlo of Midland Dow.

Grand Valley State has turned out a long line of stars at the Division II level, including Curt Anes, the 2002 Harlon Hill Award winner (Division II's Heisman), and Cullen Finnerty, who together helped account for the four national championships in the program.

Iciek has been a Harlon Hill finalist the last two seasons and the Division II leader in passing efficiency, and is bearing down on the records set by Anes and Finnerty in their careers.

Holland native Jeff Fox, Kwame McKinnon, Jack Hull, Guy Schuler, Jim Lynch and David Quinley are among the other standout quarterbacks at GVSU. The school can make a claim to being Division II's "Quarterback U."